


You're Alive, but Are You Living?

by Babey_blue



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Affectionate Insults, Connor Just Wants To Help, Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, First Kiss, Gavin is Gavin, M/M, Nines is very confused, Pining, Soft Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has Feelings, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Is Bad at Feelings, dumb ass and smart ass solidarity, just two people being bad at feelings, rk900 centric, typical gavin banter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:46:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23647165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Babey_blue/pseuds/Babey_blue
Summary: Nines doesn't have quite the grip on humanity as everyone thinks he does, as such, he's still trying to learn to feel. But one Detective Gavin Reed is here to complicate that.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 5
Kudos: 161





	You're Alive, but Are You Living?

Nines had been deviant for months now and yet he felt like he still couldn't get a hold on humanity. One human emotion he could process was fondness. As he had felt it numerous times, but none so strong as when he was with Detective Reed. 

He assumed it came from their relationship starting off rough but turning into something genuine. Something enjoyable. Nines wasn't ready to assume the emotion he associated with Reed was stronger than fondness. Not until he knew. 

"Hey Tin Can," came the detective's voice, "we got to get a move on." 

He gave the other a level look before standing up from his desk. "Polite as ever, detective." 

Reed rolled his eyes. "The epitome of sunshine." 

Nines followed the detective out the door and into the car without further complaint, but not without any further teasing. 

***

The silence between him and the detective was comfortable, a familiarity formed on long work nights and even longer work days. Nines hadn't ever felt more content than in the car with Detective Reed. And that scared him. 

What scared him more were his  _ thoughts  _ about his partner and he didn't ever want to get into those. He knew Reed had hated Androids in the past so, Nines wasn't exactly going to see how he would take to one...thinking of him.

"Nines, snap out of it, it creeps me out when you blue screen on me." 

He smirked. "Then I'll make sure to do it often." 

"Prick." Reed muttered.

"Pot, meet kettle." He shot back. 

_ That  _ received a glare, but it was good natured. Reed was a nicer man once you cracked the harder outside. Still sarcastic and snippy, but nicer. But most, it would seem, never gave him that chance. 

"Blue screening again. Got something on your mind?" 

He shook his head. "No, at least, not presently." 

Which was a lie, because his mind was a thunderstorm when he was around Reed. There was always so much to think about around him, but he stamped it down to where not even he would think about it. 

"You sure do look like a guy with a lot on his mind." 

"It's simply just my face, Detective." 

Reed huffed. "Smart ass." 

"As opposed to your dumb ass." 

"You've got a quip for everything I say, don't you?" He asked, looking over at Nines. 

"Yes well," he said, "one must be prepared to work with Detective Gavin Reed." 

He thought he saw something flash in the other's eyes, his LED turning yellow to process it, but it was gone as quick as it came. 

It seems he had a lot more to think about. 

***

It was one of his many conversations with Connor that made him realise it was not just fondness he felt for the detective.

"I'm glad to see you and Detective Reed get along well." He had said one day. 

"Detective Reed proves to be a good detective and an even better partner everyday."

"I'm glad to see you take to having a partner so well, even when he was not." 

Nines shrugged and glanced over to Reed, who was sitting at his desk. "Yes well, it's true he took a while to warm up to me, and me to him, but we work well together and I wouldn't wish to change that." 

"You seem to love him a great deal." 

He balked at the other android's words. "It's true that I hold a fondness for the detective in my heart, but it's the same as you and Lieutenant Anderson." 

Connor tilted his head. "Are you sure?" 

Abruptly Nines stood from the desk and left without so much as an apology. 

His fellow android had simply misunderstood his emotions. Yes, he spent a great deal of his time with Reed, but that's because it was...easy with the man. He would even go as far as to say they were friends. And for all the arguing and the quips, he  _ cared  _ for the other. 

And he knew that denying what Connor had seen, even through his act, was pointless. Because even he knew the truth now. 

He was in love with Gavin Reed. 

***

"You okay Nines?" The detective had asked shortly after his conversation with Connor. 

"Quite. We were discussing my deviancy and he said some things that...shocked me is all." 

Reed took a drink of coffee and set the cup down. "Like what?" 

Nines froze and then shook his head. "He just shed some light on a few emotions that I couldn't name." 

The detective scoffed. "Like what? Love?" 

He froze again. And Reed, experienced with small movements, noticed instantly. 

"Holy  _ shit,  _ Tin Can, really?"

"I'd prefer not to talk about it." 

"I mean,  _ you _ of all people-er, androids, in  _ love?"  _

"Detective Reed, I said I didn't want to talk about it and I don't, now if you'll excuse me." 

It was then he became familiar with another emotion. Regret. 

He regretted leaving Gavin like that, regretted yelling at him. But a part of him didn't want to go back, because Reed would just get angry back at him and then Nines would say what he felt and then they would lose all progress they made in their friendship. 

So, he kept walking. 

***

It had been three days since he had last been to the DPD. Three days since he had last spoken to Detective Reed. 

What he was doing was petty and annoyingly human and he was sick of it. 

There was a knock on the door to his apartment, and judging by the aggression of the knock, it was detective Reed.

"Nines, open the damn door." 

"Just a moment." 

Was this...nervousness he was feeling? Whatever it was, he didn't like it at  _ all.  _

He opened the door and his partner stared back at him. 

"Look, man, you gotta come back to work, Connor and Hank are driving me insane-" 

It was in that exact moment that Nines knew  _ why  _ he was in love with Gavin. It was the complaining, the sarcasm, the insults. It was the long nights and the making of his morning coffee. 

"-and, I probably fucking upset you or something but-"

He tilted his head, blue eyes scanning the other's face. "Were you aware that I'm in love with you?"

"Shut your fucking mouth."

"It's what Connor had told me when we were talking. That I was in love with you, I was in disbelief myself but right now, in this moment I realised he was right." 

Gavin rolled his eyes. "Just fucking kiss me, you plastic prick." 

And he did, his sensors picking up on hints of coffee and cigarettes, but it was a nice kiss. A little rough, but most things about Gavin were. 

When they pulled away, Nines smiled. "You know very well that I'm not made of plastic, yes?" 

The other man rolled his eyes and nudged him in the shoulder. "Shut up, Smart ass." 

"I'd rather be a smart ass than a dumb ass." 

They kissed again and Nines had to wonder why he denied being in love at all. 

  
  
  
  



End file.
